Senators players push back on online rumours, support Ullmark

Ottawa Senators players pushed back against what they called false social-media rumours on Saturday.

Two days after general manager Steve Staios released a statement refuting online rumours regarding goalie Linus Ullmark, forward Tim Stützle said he appreciated the executive backing his players.

“Obviously, what’s been said on Twitter and everywhere on social media is absolutely not true,” Stützle told reporters. “We love (Ullmark) in this room. There’s nothing that happened.”

Captain Brady Tkachuk was even more blunt when asked about the online speculation, expressing anger over what he said crossed a line beyond fair criticism.

“It’s pretty b——-,” Tkachuk said. “I don’t think anybody’s pretty happy about a narrative being spread like that. I think it’s OK for people to critique our on-ice performance, but when it gets into family, it’s pretty b——-.”

Staios’ Thursday statement categorically denied online rumours that first popped up that morning regarding Ullmark’s leave of absence, which began Dec. 29.

“Our organization was completely disappointed to read the completely fabricated and false stories that are spreading around social media about our hockey club,” it read. “Linus is away from our team for personal reasons and he has the entire organization’s support.

“We are disgusted that outside forces are attempting to disrupt our hockey club. This statement will put an end to the ridiculous speculation that has spread online.”

Ullmark, 32, has a 14-8-5 record this season with an .881 save percentage and 2.95 goals-against average.

Amid the team’s on-ice struggles, the Senators signed veteran goalie James Reimer to an AHL professional tryout.